Colorado Springs News, Sports & Business

Facebook Comments FAQ

FACEBOOK COMMENTS FAQ
Why the change?
Many of our gazette.com users have expressed frustration and lack of satisfaction with our current commenting tool because it allowed for anonymity in posting comments. This has sometimes led to inflammatory, derogatory or provocative messages that...

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Many of our gazette.com users have expressed frustration and lack of satisfaction with our current commenting tool because it allowed for anonymity in posting comments. This has sometimes led to inflammatory, derogatory or provocative messages that dragged down the level of community discourse.

By tying all comments to a Facebook profile, we hope to encourage an open and accountable online environment for community conversation.

If I were to comment would other people be able to see my information or photos?

You can change your settings in facebook so no one sees anything other than your name and profile picture. Click here for instructions.

Why do I have to use Facebook?

The Facebook commenting interface is easy to navigate and already popular. Americans spend more time on Facebook than they do any other U.S. website, according to a 2011 Social Media report by Nielsen. Overall, our goal is to provide a higher quality of more relevant comments for our readers.

Does everyone see my comment?

Yes, the comment you provide on our website will be seen by any gazette.com visitor.

Do the same community commenting rules still apply?

Yes, the rules are unchanged.

The interactive areas of gazette.com are provided to users as interesting and stimulating forums to express their opinions and share ideas and information. We expect people to differ—judgment and opinion are subjective—and we encourage free speech and the exchange of ideas. But, by using these areas, you are participating in a community that is intended for all of our users.

Therefore, we reserve the right, but undertake no duty, to review, edit, move, or delete any User Content provided for display or placed on the Service, at our sole and absolute discretion, without notice to the person who submitted such User Content.

The Gazette does not have access to any user information. Facebook controls all log-in and comment-storage activities.

What if I want to share an important news tip with The Gazette, but keep my name out of it?

We invite news tips and treat them confidentially. If you have information you believe the community needs to know, but you also need to keep your identity out of public view, you can send information directly, and privately, to our editors via email: citydesk@gazette.com. Or you may contact any Gazette editor or reporter directly, by phone, email or any other messaging system. Our contact information is listed on the “contact us” page of gazette.com.

Do I need to turn on Cookies in my browser?

In order to log into Facebook, you’ll need to allow third-party cookies on that site, as they store your unique session. Click here for instructions.

I really don’t like Facebook and don’t want to use it just to be able to comment.

We understand your frustration. Please know that we weighed many variables when making the decision to change our commenting tool, including the possibility that a portion of our readers do not have a Facebook account. We hope you know that we are not trying to exclude anyone from participating. Our aim is to provide a forum to encourage the highest quality of relevant comments for all of our readers and the Facebook commenting tool has proven to be an excellent vehicle to achieve that.

I have concerns about privacy when using Facebook.

Recently Facebook has implemented several additional privacy options that allow users to control who sees their status updates, their photos, etc. It is possible to set up an account that has minimal personal information about you that allows you to comment at gazette.com.